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Today i was shown that it really takes so much more than just kindness when helping someone who is so incorrigible, rude and full of herself.

Over the years I’ve witnessed generosity and wisdom over the years from my uncles and recently even humility which is totally unexpected from one of my uncles that had really touched us which also trigger this whole “project” to action.

Last night my elder cousins really had me at awed (despite my fuming anger at an ingrate) as they displayed an immense amount of grace, empathy and patience towards someone who doesn’t deserve it at all but probably need it more than the rest when dealt with.

That when i realize my kindness is limited in terms of my review of the receiver’s attitude as i let judgment and anger get it the way of the intention. I have underestimate myself, thinking i be able to deal with a difficult person but even so, I am glad i did else i would have missed out another lesson i need to put myself through.

To be honest, none of us know if this will turn out worth it or not but we just gotta give her and ourselves that one last try so that we can all move on with no “if only”. The things we have heard last week, an arrogant spoilt daughter who see wrong in everyone else except the one she faced in the mirror, unappreciative, bitter, very clever, twisted words vs a mother whose biggest mistake is spoiling her daughter too much, was so quick to reflect herself and take the blame, letting guilt gnaw and so willing to be the one taking a step back and I wonder how can so much love turn someone to a monster.. When will this pair of mother daughter ever reconcile, we dont know…

During this process of helping, I looks like i will need to rely and pray to god for his strength and wisdom on dealing with difficult people to attain the below..

Proverbs 12:16 tells us that “a fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.”

I have a long way to go from fool to prudent (not even sure if i will ever be able to master that) but I am so thankful that i have these amazing roles models in my life to look up and be inspired by them.

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I love history – more if it’s roots of my family, having it closer to blood. During my granny’s funeral, i heard so many stories of her and was so fascinated and thirsty for more.. Thanks (or maybe not, i have yet to decide) to facebook, i start to connect with my uncles and aunties through this powerful platforms.

Recently one of my uncles shared this and i was hooked..

History of Teo Clan I like to share what I know about our ancestry history. If you have any please add or correct me.

It will be good if you all cousins can organize a trip together to visit our ancestor place which is in Kinmen, Taiwan. Maybe with Christine who is now in in Tainan until January.Tun Lin should have more closer contact with them I think. I did not know where is Kinmen until I google. Its in fact nearer to China than Taiwan. The last time we met our relative from Kinmen is during Grandmum funeral.

His name is Kong Hai. I think he used to be a police chief and later joined politics and became an MP. You all can get more information from Dua Pek, James my eldest brother.

I think our forefathers come to Singapore in the early 1900’s. My mother was born in Singapore around 1930s. So you can see that they have a very difficult life living under British rule in Singapore, World War 2, opium trading, gangsterism, no rule of law, no job opportunities and starvation.

I think my father eldest brother died of starvation. My father and his 3rd brother have to give up their studies to work so that their 2nd brother can continue his studies. Many of our relatives also died in World War 2.

I learn something from my mum about her past. His father, my grandfather was a very tough man. They call him the Tiger of Shandong. He used to be the foreman in the Singapore river dock transferring cargo from the ship to the tug boat later to the warehouse in Singapore river.

Later he became a opium drug dealer. My mum told me that he used to hold a gun in his hand and hold my mother to sleep. Sometimes my mum would walk in the street controls by rival gangs and she would be beaten up. Sound like Shanghai gangster show. It must be the same. That how she is so tough herself.

My grandfather loves his grandchildren very much that he will buy a big basket of durian for all of us. That is why we re all crazy about durian! Later he decided to quit drug smuggling and do a last big deal. However he was sabotage and lost everything.

Suddenly he became a depress man who lost his soul and everything. Mum told me he always appreciate his husband who later take my grandfather into his care. He passed away soon and I cannot remember his face except for the picture I found in my mother’s house.

My mum’s mother is also a beautiful woman like my mother. She is a devoted Buddhist and always seem to be in isolation maybe because trying to atone the sin of my grandfather.

When I was young, my father used to bring me to Telok Ayer Street, and we have the famous lor Mee there and sometimes visit the Hokkien clan Association. I think you can learn more stories from Tua Pek and other uncles and auntie.

Actually I was the most fortunate kid in the family as my father will bring me to go all his friends gathering and I will eat abalone and all the good stuff until I am scare of them.

Please feel free to add your stories and comment to this post. Thanks and have a good day

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I believe that punch delivered to my right cheek yesterday will no sooner or later be delivered to your gut and while i fall on the floor, you will fall to hell.

As much as i like to deliver that punch back to your sicking face right to your menacing eyes, i will leave it to the will of god to do what is right at the his time and i shall raise above your lowly status.

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My cousin (1st child of my 1st uncle) was elected to give a farewell speech on the last day before we send granny off.

Afraid that she would burst into tears standing alone, we asked for my god brother and me team up with her. we worked the last 3 nights together and put together the speech and also crafted our own speech to add on.

We spend those night “interviewing” each parents of the 8 families in the family tree to give either their deepest impression or any last words they wish to tell her.

It fulfills my long time desire to hear any stories of the Teo family. It was like a story-telling session as more and more chairs get together the table. Those stories was paired with tears, laughter and with love.

Last but not least, we will also like to take this chance to thank Anna, who has been taking such good care of our granny these past few years, treating 99 as her own mother. We believed 99 have trained you well t be the world’s no. 1 masseuse as well. Thank you very much for the care, love and patience you have showered on our 99

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On Friday morning, i was really excited because i have a drink date at night with the gals follow by a Saturday Xiao long one month celebration and ending with Sunday of being a bridesmaid for my Primary school longest ever friend wedding. So so much to anticipate.

On Friday late afternoon, I have gotten text messages from cousins about how Nai Nai (how we call our granny) heartbeat is getting weaker.

My granny was a woman to 8 kids, a fighter, a gambler, a smoker, a woman who wear the pants in the house, put food on the table, well traveled, extremely stubborn and now in her eighties. she is truly “like a boss”.

I cant say we have shared many or much memorable time together as i only felt closer to her from these past recent year and those were the years where life is draining away from her along with the in and out visits from the hospital.

I would love to say my family is closely knitted but unfortunately we arnt really so. History and issues that are so deeply rooted and it got in the way of kinship.

On friday evening, not knowing how serious it was, we make our way to my uncle’s place. My granny is definitely at her last leap of life and she had amazingly made it beyond what most would have expected.. She is a strong fighter despite her willingness to move on.

… However we didnt made it there, being minutes away from her last breath. When we reached, her body was still warm even as we lingered around while waiting for the doctor to come. I remembered standing at the door, frozen. She was different already, she wasnt my granny, my granny had left. But i was unsure, despite the obvious fact.

I dare not ask as i hold on desperately to the hope. as long as there is no answer, there is hope. It didnt lasted very long before we realize in shock she really…. had passed away.

The feeling is complicated. You lost her but she won in getting her freedom and what she had wanted for a long time.

At her last leap, she was really depressed, angry, sad and very very uncomfortable. Her organs are failing or had failed her one by one and it was a really sad process with all the in and out of hospital, her attempt to just die by rejecting medical help because it was all to painful to live.

Today is day 3 since her last breath, the weekend is gone and i woke up this morning with this song in my head and this lyrics on a loop – “我终于失去了你, 在拥挤的人群中”.

我終於失去了你
作詞：沈光遠/李宗盛 作曲：趙傳/李宗盛 編曲：涂惠源

当所有的人离开我的时候
你劝我要耐心等候
并且陪我度过生命中最长的寒冬
如此的宽容

当所有的人靠紧我的时候
你要我安静从容
似乎知道我有一颗永不安静的心
（我）容易蠢动

我终于让千百只手在我面前挥舞
我终于拥有了千百个热情的笑容
我终于让人群被我深深的打动
我却忘了告诉你 你一直在我心中
啊…

我终于失去了你
在拥挤的人群中

我终于失去了你
当我的人生第一次感到光荣
啊…
我终于失去了你
在拥挤的人群中

我终于失去了你
当我的人生第一次感到光荣
当四周掌声如潮水一般的汹涌
我见到你眼中有伤心的泪光闪动

and i end up sobbing at a corner later at night as the heartache grew and missing grew too strong to take it.

“I come from a different era. Things were a lot less complicated. And if I would have met you back then, I would have courted you. We’d have taken chaperoned strolls, and iced tea on the porch. I may have stolen a kiss or two. Only after asking your fathers permission, I would have gotten down on one knee, and I would have presented you with a ring.”

Songwriters: HODGES, DAVID / PERRI, CHRISTINA

Heartbeats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave
How can I love when I’m afraid to fall
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow
One step closer

I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don’t be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I love you for a thousand more

Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What’s standing in front of me
Every breath
Every hour has come to this
One step closer

I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don’t be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed I would find you

Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I love you for a thousand more

One step closer
One step closer

I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don’t be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I love you for a thousand more

Every girl wants a fairy tale even though many don’t believe in it, every girl wants to be treated like a proper lady, to fall in love with a prince whom are gentleman.

However how many are being a lady in the first place? Maybe i am too traditional for my era, i cant help but to cringe and minus points for girls who sleep over at their guys place when they are dating.

It’s not about sleeping together or not, for they might be just spending a night and not sleeping together but the image of such behavior reeks the value of cheapness and too much of it equals to being too 随便…. well never mind.

it had been an issue and i foresee will continue to be as i see this behavior deteriorating in this household recently. I just wish that even if one don’t think they are at wrong or think that it’s perfectly fine perhaps because they think they have good self control – to simply to remember that it is actually not okay or right once you decide to not respect others, your parents, your mother about it and worse, to lie about it and do it behind one’s back.

you might not mind or find it a big deal but that doesn’t mean it isn’t. Self respect or you find none giving you any respect.